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Content tagged with "past"

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Past perfect with FOR

duration
past
perfect
period of time
FOR

The preposition for is used with the past perfect tense to express that something started before a point in time in the past and was still true at that point:

When they got married, they had already been together for three years.

Past simple for actions happening over a period of time in the past

past
period of time
simple
FOR

The past simple is used for actions that took place over a complete period of time in the past. This period is expressed with a time expression; however, the exact time may or may not be mentioned:

Past simple for completed actions in the past

completion
past
point in time
simple
AGO

The past simple tense is used for actions which are completed at a definite point in time in the past. This point can be implied or expressed with a time expression or a clause:

Past simple for past habits and states

habitual actions
past
simple
state

The past simple is used to express habits and states that existed during a period of time in the past. This period can be implied or expressed with a time expression or a clause:

Past simple to express a point in the past

continuous
past
perfect
point in time
simple

The past simple is used to refer to a point in the past at which another event was in progress, had been completed or had been going on for some time. The past simple thus serves as a time marker in subordinate time clauses within complex sentences, where the main clause is in the past continuous, past perfect or past perfect continuous tense:

Past subjunctive

past
present
subjunctive
unreal situations

The past subjunctive has the same form as the past simple tense except in the case of the verb be. Traditionally, the past subjunctive form of be is were for all persons, including the first and third person singular.

Present perfect for past events

past
perfect
present

The present perfect tense is used for past events when the exact time is not mentioned either because it is not known or it is not important. The emphasis is on the fact that the events happened before the time of speaking:

Present simple to express past

past
present
simple

Headlines

In news headlines, the present simple tense refers to past time:

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